To win a grand slam, you don’t have to be a Roger, Rafa, Novak or Andy. He proved that an underdog can become a top dog, winning one grand slam and 12 ATP titles.
He is a great come-back story, whose career looked wrecked when he was banned for drugs in 2013. Born in Bosnia, he represents Croatia.
Early Life
Marin Cilic, born on September 28, 1988, started playing at the age of three at local tennis court in a small town, Medjugorje.
Career
Turning pro in 2005, Cilic failed to clinch any major title: he bowed out at the fourth round of Australian Open and Wimbledon. He won his first ATP title at Pilot Pen Tennis 2008 in New Haven, Connecticut.
Cilic won his second ATP title in the 2009 Chennai Open, and clocked victories over Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal at the US Open and China Open respectively.
Riding high on his good form, he won the 2010 Chennai Open. At the Australian Open, he became the first Croatian to reach the semi-finals, with his victory over Andy Roddick; but lost out in the next round.
At Wimbledon 2013, he was pulled out of the event as he failed in the drugs test in Munich. He received a backdated nine month ban and his prize money and points were null and forfeited.
Cilic appealed against the ban and it was reduced from nine months to four months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. His ranking had dropped to 47 but received an immediate boost at the French Open, Queen’s and Wimbledon.Â
Seeded 14th at US Open 2014, ÄŒilić defeated world No. 3 Roger Federer, in straight sets and then went on to win the grand slam bringing a second Grand Slam men’s singles title to Croatia.